


You came to love me.

by Axecilies



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Internalized Homophobia, Introspection, M/M, Minor Amagi Yukiko/Satonaka Chie, Minor Shirogane Naoto/Tatsumi Kanji, Minor Spoilers, Roommates, fellas is it gay to trust your best friend and team leader with all your secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28847535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axecilies/pseuds/Axecilies
Summary: Yu's been grappling with his own thoughts about Yosuke since they had met in Inaba. Now, years later, studying together in university, it's time for him to figure out how to express those thoughts.
Relationships: Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	You came to love me.

Three little words. That’s all he’s been waiting for the chance to say. It’s hard to find those words, especially through hundreds of days full of fighting shadows, studying for lessons, doing…  _ everything else _ , everything but saying what he wants to. It’s never been a matter of not having the confidence to do so (maybe that’s just a lie he’s telling himself) more about just the situation at hand, the actions being taken…

Yu hates some of the things that Yosuke says. It’s as if he’s entirely unaware of what he’s saying means, what consequences it’ll have. Of course, he’s fully prepared to just act like it doesn’t hurt-- after all, isn’t that what he  _ always _ does?-- but still… it’s hard as fuck to pretend. He says one thing, something halfway close to admitting feelings or allowing himself to feel something he considers less "manly", and then the next moment he's spouting the most homophobic bullshit he thinks he's ever heard. Yu doesn't know  _ why _ he bothers, sometimes.

The way Yosuke had acted when they were saving Kanji from the bath house  _ hurt _ . The main thought in Yu's mind was to just grin and bear it, the wince in his expression becoming more and more obvious with each sentence tumbling from Yosuke's mouth. He's not entirely sure  _ why _ it hurt so bad (maybe he had a hunch, something to do with those little thoughts he's been getting to just shut Yosuke up with a kiss) but it  _ did _ . That was what mattered.

Maybe Kanji's shadow had been right-- they  _ could _ make good boyfriends... if Yosuke wasn't entirely convinced he was straight. And, as much as it pained Yu to think it, he's internalized a  _ lot _ of homophobia. Sometimes it just hurts to be around him, especially when he's repeating things that've surely been said to him before.

(Just grin and bear it, Yu, he'll figure it out. He will. He has to, right?)

It hadn't helped much to go to Chie, either. When solving problems, she was always very  _ hands on _ . Her solution for any Yosuke based problem is to  _ kick _ him, preferably where it hurts. Yu doesn't think he can do that. He wouldn't be able to raise his leg to even dare inflict pain on him-- as always, he just sits there, grins, and bears it all. Yosuke will realize someday - that day just isn't today.

Yu's always quiet about his own issues. His family never cared much-- workaholics, all of them-- and he never trusted people enough to let them be his close friends. Yosuke and the rest of the Inaba team were the best thing ever to happen to him. Tight friendship, a  _ purpose, _ and a meaningful way to help people. Even if people don't know about the Midnight Channel, or the part he played in saving victims, it still feels far better than sitting back and failing people. After all, at least four of the Inaba team had almost been killed. It feels good to know they're alive because of his actions.

He's always found himself expecting (or more  _ begging _ ) for praise from his peers. He works himself hard, studies diligently, plays his part-- even going out of his way to just help common people with their own little mundane lives. Something to get a little praise. Something to make him feel good. When he doesn't hear anything praising all his hard work, he feels… dejected. Like he wants to give up trying. He knows he won't (or more likely  _ can't,  _ considering the consequences) but it hurts like a dull ache in his chest. That's one thing he wholeheartedly understands that Yosuke feels, too. Yosuke had told him himself, he was obsessed with being  _ liked. _ Being  _ special _ to somebody who mattered. It's easy to look at his actions and read them incorrectly as a guy who doesn't care about being liked, but Yu knows him better than that. He repeats what he's heard to be respected, internalizes it, thinks that it fully applies to him. With all the homophobia, Yu's sure he's just trying to ignore his own feelings.

He'd tried to talk to Chie about this, too. She seemed to know him pretty well from the moment Yu arrived in Inaba, so it wouldn't hurt to try. She'd tried to help, too, in her own little way. Always offering a kick to somewhere funny, or things that Yu's certain would never work in the long run. As it stands, he has to play his cards carefully, and dodge the point for a while. Yosuke isn't going to figure it all out in a matter of days. Or weeks. Sometimes Yu wonders if he'll be figuring it out years down the line, and if it'll be too late.

He doesn't want to think about the prospect of it being too late. He never does - that's why he's always so punctual, so quick to save people from the Midnight Channel. Being too late could mean death in every other circumstance, and that just passes over to every other possible part of his life. Always be early, rarely on time, and never late.

Every time Yosuke confides in him, and him  _ alone, _ it feels like he's pulling back another layer, tearing down another wall that Yosuke himself set up to try and protect himself, to make himself look like some tough manly man who doesn't care about  _ "women things" _ , and who can be relied on. That's why he'd been jealous-- Yu makes himself open to be relied on, and Yosuke couldn't do that. Yosuke already knows that if he opened himself up to that, he'd open himself up to something far,  _ far _ worse - his own thoughts and feelings, the ones he'd been pushing down for years and refused to acknowledge.

It’s not as if Yu doesn’t face those same thoughts-- he neglects himself for everyone else, filling every day with things to help other people, and never himself. Even at home with Dojima, he was working to fix his and Nanako’s family. There were some days where he just wanted to lie down and stop existing for a little while, and wonder how much of a difference that would make in the grand scheme of things. Without someone like him running around and helping until he can’t walk anymore, what would’ve happened to Inaba? There’d be more deaths, of course, the killer wouldn’t have been caught, and of course… Yosuke…

He doesn't know why he's thinking so hard about it now. He's lying back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in his shared apartment, wondering just  _ what _ he can do. There's a hundred or so things that could've led him to come to university, but the most important one was Yosuke. Yu recalls the conversation as if it happened yesterday - Yosuke had approached him with a bright grin, told him that he was going to university, and something in Yu's heart almost  _ snapped _ . He couldn't bear to lose Yosuke to university-- if he left, maybe they'd lose contact, and they'd never speak again, and everything they'd done would become like some distant memory-- and he'd rushed to figure out what he was going to say.

That happened to be "Oh, I was planning to go to university as well. Where are you going?" in the hopes that Yosuke would tell him, and he could quickly apply, get let in, and stay alongside him. Of course, Yosuke had told him-- "Okina! I'll be close by so we can all meet up a lot. Don't think you've gotten rid of me, yet!"-- and Yu had almost breathed a sigh of relief. Sure, Okina wasn't far, but it was still something. Getting to university with him was important, and he's glad he's here now.

Yosuke acts in his own little way, here. When they're at home together, there's something different about him, something he's never seen before. He guesses it must be to do with the fact that he’s not out in public, he’s in a space he feels comfortable in, with someone he feels comfortable with. They still check the Midnight Channel some nights, just out of worry, but Yu doesn’t feel as if they’re going to see anyone again. It’s been a while, after all. After all those little rumours about the Midnight Channel died down, after the killer was apprehended, it all sort of faded out of the public eye. That means everybody’s focused on other rumours.

"There's no anonymity in Inaba. Everyone knows your business." Chie had said. "You tell one person a secret, and half the town knows by next week."

Despite Chie's thoughts, Yukiko had been a lot more lighthearted.

"There's not much wrong in everyone knowing, of course. I mean-- Kanji seems to be doing well for himself."

And it's true, Kanji  _ was _ doing well for himself. Doing little odd jobs around town, honing his sewing skills, pining hopelessly for Naoto... in his silence, it'd been almost obvious to both Chie and Yukiko that Yu felt some amount of jealousy towards him. Having the confidence to be unabashedly and openly gay in front of all of your peers terrifies even  _ him _ , far more than sucking up and talking to Yosuke. He's always considered that there might be something more to that - not wanting his peers to know his business, just doing jobs for them to stay in their good graces - but he's far too deep in the idea of being a faceless little nobody who helps and helps and helps until he can't anymore. Allowing himself to even  _ be _ outside of his friendships seems to hurt. It's better to just stay silent and help wherever people ask.

Even now, back in the city, where rumours spread much slower, he’s still apprehensive to even try. It’s just not worth the attempt, he thinks. After so long anticipating the worst, he thinks it’s better just to ignore his feelings until Yosuke figures out how he feels and tries for himself. Until then… it’s just waiting.

"Hey, Yu, you're making dinner tonight, right?" Yosuke's voice is sudden enough to snap him out of his reminiscing, and he turns his head, mouth open very slightly. Instead of vocalizing a reply, he just nods and makes a quiet "mmhm" sound, and Yosuke raises an eyebrow. "You alright, dude? You haven't spoken that much recently." He pauses as he thinks, before motioning to his own throat and waving his hand around in front of it. "You got some uh-- some kinda throat problem?"

When Yu shakes his head, Yosuke's confused even more. "So you're just not speaking? 'Cause you don't like your own voice, or...?" Yosuke decides to sit heavily on the edge of Yu's bed, and Yu looks up at him. "Hey, no matter what, man, I'm here for you. Been like that since we met!" His hand suddenly reaches out, and he ruffles Yu's hair, which makes him scrunch his face up, quickly fixing it so he can see. Yosuke lets out a little laugh at that. "Alright man, but if you need my help, just call on me, alright? I can try help you in the kitchen, or with anything else that's bothering you."

When Yosuke goes to stand, Yu barely thinks as he reaches out, catching his hand as he stands up. Yosuke immediately looks down at him, confused, and Yu scrambles to find something to say that  _ isn't _ indicative of his internal turmoil. "Uh-- help me stand?"

Yosuke laughs harder, tightening his grip on Yu's hand. "Hey, no problem man! You been lying there so long you've forgotten how to walk, too? I could guide you around for a bit!" He pulls Yu to his feet, but his grip on his hand lingers. “You looked pretty deep in thought, I was thinking about not saying anything, but… I don’t know, I wanted to make sure you were still alive.”

“Ha. Of course I am.” Yu stifles a laugh into his other hand. “We beat thousands of shadows together and you think I’m just gonna lie down and die?” When he’s done laughing, he puts his other arm around Yosuke’s neck. “Go on, then. Guide me around!”

Yosuke's happy to let go of his other hand to instead hold the one around his neck, leaning a little into his touch. "Alright, alright! To the kitchen!" His other arm wraps around Yu's waist, and Yu quickly has to chuff back a gasp as he feels Yosuke hold him a little tightly. He only considers himself lucky that Yosuke’s focused more on walking than  _ him, _ because he’s sure his blush is obvious.

Yosuke seems entirely unaware of Yu's turmoil as he leads him to the kitchen, hand still tight around his waist and grinning brightly. "What's first? We need to find what food we're cooking with, right?" He turns to Yu, who's looking away from him, staring blankly into the floor. "Yu? Sure you're alright, dude?" When he doesn't get a response, Yosuke takes his hand away from Yu's, instead gently waving it in front of his face. "Yo, Earth to Mr Narukami? Is anybody home?"

"--huh?" Yu shakes his head as he snaps back into reality. He must've been thousands of miles away, thinking so hard he could barely pick out Yosuke's actual voice amongst whispers of things he's said. "Sorry… spaced out a bit." He scratches his neck sheepishly, and hopes that his blush isn't as visible to Yosuke as he thinks it is.

“Something on your mind? You’ve been acting like this a  _ lot _ recently.” Yosuke tilts his head slightly, sitting Yu onto the table and placing himself beside him. “Like-- I’ve just noticed it a lot… you’re spacing out and stuff. Are you worried about something?”

“Worried--? No, no, I was… I’d been… thinking about…” He can’t tell Yosuke the truth, of course. “Thinking about Nanako, really. I… after we saved her, it was…” Yu falls silent, and Yosuke just watches quietly. He doesn’t want to say anything, he just wants Yu to get any emotions he wants out. “I don’t know. It feels weird. I kind of… wonder how she’s doing.”

“I’m sure she’s alright, man. You can call whenever you want, you know?” Yosuke thoughtfully rubs Yu’s back, offering him a gentle smile. “I’m sure she’d love to hear from you!”

“Yeah…” Yu sounds noncommittal. “I’d considered it, actually-- just keeps slipping my mind.”

“Oh, I know how that all feels. Reminds me that I’ve been meaning to call Chie for like, days now. She told me to call when I was free, and then I just  _ wasn’t _ free--” Yosuke seems to pause. “Wait! We’re free now, right?”

“Well, I’m gonna start getting some stuff ready to cook, you can call if you’d like. I’ll listen in.” Yu stands from the table, heading towards the fridge. “D’you mind if I do grilled fish?”

“Huh? Oh-- yeah, go ahead, I just don’t like seeing them alive. They’re weird, and they wriggle about-- can’t believe you’d willingly go down to Samegawa and actually  _ fish _ the damn things up.” Yosuke flicks his hair. “I couldn’t do that.”

“Hey, it was just… something to do.” Yu sounds almost defensive as he retrieves a trout from the fridge. “I consider myself lucky I even  _ find _ fresh fish in the city. I liked being able to fish it up from the river-- felt a little more personal, you know?”

“If you’d told me all those times you’d invited me to eat lunch with you that you’d caught  _ and _ cooked it yourself, I think I would’ve spent a lot more time admiring it-- you know, more than just admiring how it tastes.”

“It’s fine. We can enjoy that together now, can’t we?” Yu pulls his sleeves up and mumbles to himself, “deboning is the worst damn part,” before he turns quickly back to Yosuke. “Weren’t you gonna call Chie?”

“Oh yeah! Thanks! It slipped my mind again.” Yosuke pulls his phone from his pocket, though he seems to take a while scrolling through contacts before he actually starts calling Chie. As he waits, he taps his foot against the floor. “You know, I expected her to pick up quicker-- you always picked up within seconds.”

"Hey, don't complain when she could pick up as you talk to me." Yu stifles a laugh into his own arm. "How d'you want me to season your filet?"

"Oh, anything'll do. What are you having with it?"

"I was just planning to go for like… rice. I'll get some vegetables if that's what you're after."

"Uh… pepper maybe?"

"Helloooo? Yosuke! What do you want?" Chie's voice is sudden, and Yosuke yelps, almost dropping his phone. He can hear Chie laughing. "You called me and you still got surprised by me answering?"

"You took a while! I was talking to Yu!"

"Hey Chie!" Yu grins, though he knows she can't see it.

"Hey Yu! How's uni?"

"Oh, well, you know. Stressful as expected."

"You're not even asking  _ me  _ how I'm finding uni?" Yosuke sounds hurt. "Unbelievable. I've been your friend for  _ years _ now, and you're still not even--"

“Yosuke, are you  _ sure _ you want to argue right now?” Yukiko’s voice suddenly comes through the phone, and Yosuke yelps again.

“Yukiko’s there  _ too?! _ ”

"Well I guessed based on the fact that you forgot to call me for a week that you're  _ busy. _ ” Chie huffs, and Yu can hear it. It almost feels like their old meetups at Junes. “So, what are you guys up to right now?"

"Yu's cooking right now, but you could probably hear that." Yosuke grins up at Yu, who smiles back.

"You're making  _ Yu _ cook for you?" Chie sounds almost surprised. "I thought you'd learned how to cook by now-- and using our team leader to cook for you... if I knew where you two were, I'd come and kick your ass."

"Hey, hey, it's fine! We alternate! I cooked yesterday!" Yosuke's quick to defend himself. "How have you guys been, anyway? Sorry it's been so long."

"Well, better knowing that you two are doing well." Yukiko sounds as if she's smiling. "The rest of us are doing alright. Working properly in the inn is... well, it's tough work, but having Chie around really helps. She's already thought up a grand plan for us both to escape Inaba and inn duties."

"Aw, you're flattering me, Yukiko-- but don't speak so loud about that. You want  _ everyone _ to know our plan?" Chie's voice sounds further away than before. "Also! Kanji told us that he and Naoto are together!"

"Whoa, the Detective Prince finally admitted his feelings? Or did Kanji nut up and say something?"

Yu finally turns his attention away from cooking to listen to the conversation. So Kanji's finally dating Naoto. He wondered when it'd happen.

"He didn't say, he's just glad they're together. Anyway, we're about to hit peak in the inn, so we've gotta dip. Talk to you guys again soon-- and come visit some time, will you? It's boring when I can't spar with one of you."

"You just miss kicking me in the nuts." Yosuke pouts. "But sure. Wherever you and Yukiko go, just let us know."

When Chie hangs up, Yosuke turns to Yu, eyebrows raised. "Colour me surprised-- Kanji and Naoto. Guess they work well together and everything..." He sounds almost wistful. "Guess that basically means the only ones from Inaba who aren't dating are me and you then, huh?" Yosuke seems to pause. "Well, except Rise. And Teddie. But I don't want to think about Teddie dating. Ever."

"Honestly, neither do I."

"But us... we're just two bachelors living together then, huh? Us against the world!"

Yu internally wishes he could curl up into a ball and scream. Instead, he just smiles and turns back to cooking. Noticing this, Yosuke stands up.

“You alright? That was a  _ weird _ response.” When he places his hand on Yu’s shoulder, Yu flinches.

“Hey-- hey, stand back, I’ve got a knife.” Yu responds naturally, almost whipping around to face Yosuke. He can’t show him how he  _ really _ feels, he can’t say anything or turn to him because he’s  _ blushing _ still-- he just wants this nightmare of emotions to be over. “I’m alright-- trust me, okay?”

Yosuke steps back, both hands held up. “Sure thing, dude. Should I leave you alone?” He looks apologetic. “Didn’t mean to cross any boundaries or anything.”

Yu looks at the half-prepared food, then back at Yosuke. He can’t dredge up the words he needs to say, and instead, he just shakes his head. He doesn’t want Yosuke to think this is  _ his _ fault-- it’s far from that. He just has to focus back on making them dinner… not the emotions in his head, not the thoughts he can't let out. Yosuke just…  _ can't _ know. Yu's too afraid to let him know. Yu can just about see Yosuke out of the corner of his eye, shifting his weight awkwardly between legs, before he just nods, and leaves the kitchen. Sure, he's seen Yosuke at his worst, but Yosuke hasn't quite seen  _ him _ like that. He’s still halfway through cooking… he’ll think about things while he does. It’ll give him enough time, hopefully.

Not like the last year or so hasn’t been long enough. Yu just needs a little longer to get all of his thoughts in order, his feelings for Yosuke, clear and concise. It’s all he needs to do. He continues to prepare food, and at some point, he’s vaguely aware of Yosuke returning to the room-- this time, with his headphones on. He must be listening to something to keep his attention while he waits. No use trying to speak to him for now. 

He’s vaguely aware that Yosuke is watching his movements, each light touch of his fingers to the cutting board, to the food, the shuffle of his feet, how comfortable he seems to be in the kitchen. It almost feels like a jealous gaze-- Yu’s adaptable, calm, collected, everything that Yosuke wants to be-- but is he jealous of him, or what he could be? Is it what he wants to be, or what he  _ wants? _

( _ I can’t have another stupid crisis like this. Yu’s my friend. Nothing more. He doesn’t see me as anything more. I can’t want him to be more than that. _ )

The silence sits between them oddly. Yosuke bounces his leg in time with the music he’s listening to, eyes still focused on Yu. Sure, Yosuke’s always been the lither of the two, quick on his feet, quicker still in the Midnight Channel-- but there’s envy somewhere deep in there, for Yu’s strength, whatever parts of himself he’s got hidden under that calm exterior.

( _ Being lifted by him could be a breeze. I’m light enough-- and he’s given me a piggyback before. Did I hate that? Or do I want that again? _ )

The music he’s listening to takes a sudden shift in tone, and Yosuke focuses back onto it for a moment. He can’t name the song in the moment-- something about the way it begins just seems to make it melt into a hundred other songs that he’d never admit to liking. Songs that remind him of Yu. He’d never show Yu the songs anyway-- it’s  _ embarrassing, _ right? Showing your  crush best friend songs that remind you of him? It doesn’t feel masculine of him at all-- Yu wouldn’t like it. Maybe he wouldn’t like the songs, or Yosuke making the playlist about him-- something about it, he’s sure Yu wouldn’t like. Like he’s sure that Yu  _ doesn’t _ like him back.

He’s pulled gently from his thoughts by the smell of grilling fish, and once again, he looks at Yu. He seems so in his element-- the rice is ready, the peppers too, they’re just waiting on the fish-- and he seems to glance back at Yosuke again, as if waiting for him to say something. Pulling his headphones from his head, Yosuke raises an eyebrow.

“Everything alright?”

Yu opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. As he turns away again, to check the fish, he shuts it, as if waiting for words to come out. Something will, right? He’ll figure it out. He’ll say something. There’s a moment’s pause, and Yu gently pulls the fish out, placing the filets onto the plate. Within the same second, Yosuke is beside him, rubbing his shoulder against Yu. He can hear the eerie howl of synths from his headphones, and when Yosuke offers him a smile, Yu returns it.

“You’re listening to that musical  _ again? _ ” Yu picks up his plate and retrieves some utensils from the drawer, offering some to Yosuke as well.

“Hey--! It sounds  _ good _ , okay? I listen to it to calm down!” Yosuke takes the utensils and sticks his tongue out. “It’s  _ cool _ to think about.”

“Sure, if an invasion is your kind of thing. After what happened to Inaba, I think I’ve had enough of end-of-the-world situations.” Yu gently pushes him along into their sitting room. “But-- if you like it, and you wanted, we could listen to it together.”

“Really--?!” Yosuke sounds excited. “There’s a song on here I think you’ll  _ really _ like!”

( _ It’s always reminded me of you. Ever since you came to Inaba, it’s reminded me of you. I don’t worry about losing you anymore, but it still reminds me of you. I’d never be able to listen to it again if you were gone. _ )

“Then I’m excited to listen to it, with you.” Yu sits, and Yosuke sits opposite him, though for a few moments, he just looks at his food, instead of eating. A long minute of silence passes between them, and Yu locks eyes with Yosuke. “Something wrong?”

“I… no, nothing to worry about.” Yosuke shakes his head. “I was just… admiring what you’d made. You’re a good cook.”

Yu raises an eyebrow. “I can teach you if you wanna get better, too, you know. I don’t mind.”

“But-- we’re both busy with studying, y’know, it just feels… I don’t know, like I’m taking up all your time. Time you need for other things. Like I’m wasting your time.”

“It’s not wasted time if I’m with you.” Yu blurts out without thinking-- though he’s quick to regain composure, and act as if he meant nothing of it.

“Really? That means a lot--!” Yosuke barely thinks as he leans over the kotatsu and holds Yu tightly. He tries not to think about how long he’s holding him, or how he smells. It’s just not something he should be paying attention to-- especially when he’s supposed to act like he’s not… 

( _ I’m not in love with him. I can’t be. Not if he’s not in love with me. _ )

“Yosuke?” Yu’s voice is soft-- weirdly close to Yosuke’s ear. Both his arms are around Yosuke’s torso, fingers somewhat digging into his shirt. The sound of his music seems so distant when Yu’s this close to him.

“...yeah?” Yosuke responds just as quietly, as if breaking the silence would destroy everything around them.

The silence drags uncomfortably-- it feels as if it’s pulling on Yu’s heart, dragging him away from the words he needs so desperately to say.

“I love you.”

Time seems to freeze around the both of them. Yosuke’s grip on Yu’s shirt seems to tighten, almost as if he can’t hold him tight enough, before suddenly, it disappears altogether. Yu flinches back, anticipating the worst-- and Yosuke rips his headphones off of himself, throwing them onto the couch. He’s quick to pull himself to standing, quicker still walking across to Yu, before he halfway tackles him into a hug, holding tighter to him than before.

His head’s resting on Yu’s chest. He can hear his heartbeat, picking up from a soft, resting state, to something quicker. Something more indicative of his mood. Neither say anything.

They’re lying together on the floor, Yosuke practically on top of Yu, arms tight around his waist, head buried into his shirt, his heartbeat quickening just like Yu’s. The words are echoing in his mind. Yu’s voice, gentle, caring, telling him he  _ loves _ him. Three words that he’s wanted to say to him for ages now.

“I love you-- I love you. I love you. I love you, Yu.” Yosuke’s voice wavers slightly as he cuddles him tighter. “I love you so much-- so so much-- I’ve loved you for-- for… I love you… I…” He’s stumbling over words now, and instead, he laughs, almost awkwardly. “God-- I just-- I just…”

Yu says nothing, one hand resting on Yu’s head, and his arm wrapped around his shoulder. His fingers slowly trace down his back, drawing small shapes through his shirt. Yosuke cuddles him tighter again.

After the two have laid there in silence for a while-- long enough for Yu to feel one of his legs starting to go numb-- Yosuke sits up, almost embarrassed about what he’d done.

“You-- you really mean it?”

“Of course. You-- I’ve felt like this for a while--”

“Oh don’t tell me we  _ both _ sat on this for ages…” Yosuke stifles a small laugh. “Please--”

“Uh. October, in Inaba.”

“Shit-- same time. Wow. I’m  _ so _ fucking stupid.” Yosuke laughs louder. “I couldn’t even tell. I didn’t think you… felt… I just-- didn’t want people to know.”

Yu pulls him into another hug, Yosuke’s face on his shoulder, and vice versa.

“Neither did I. This feels… nicer. Just… us two.”

“Yeah. Just… two… boyfriends against the world.” Yosuke’s voice is subdued again, and he’s almost sniffing back tears. “Yu…”

“Yeah, Yosuke?”

“Thanks. I guess-- for coming to Inaba. For meeting me. For showing me all these cool things I could do-- and for… giving me the chance to date you.”

“Hey-- you can’t thank me for  _ all  _ of that.” Yu smiles gently. “Thanks for being  _ you. _ That’s all you needed to be.”

“But I’m-- I’m a  _ better _ me  _ because _ of you! I want to keep getting better  _ with _ you!” Yosuke pulls back, looking straight into Yu’s eyes. “And you’re giving me that chance.”

“It’s nothing, if I get to spend my life with you.” Yu looks away for a moment, a snark of a grin on his face. “Dumbass.”

“Thanks again for this chance, oh great Leader of the Inaba Defense Squad.” Yosuke sticks his tongue out. As he does so, he turns his attention away for a moment. “Oh-- we should eat before it gets cold.”

“Think it’s too late for that-- come on, sit next to me. Why bother sitting on the other side when you can sit next to me?”

Yosuke pulls his plate across the kotatsu. “I’d love to.”


End file.
